Lixue nodded, carefully placing the jewelry boxes back on the dresser. She traced her fingers over the velvet lid, her thoughts were mixed with gratitude and uncertainty.
Mo Ran always had a way of leaving her both comforted and unsettled, as if he could see right through her walls without ever demanding they be torn down.
She turned back to him, watching as he loosened his tie and sat on the edge of the bed. "You really don’t have to do all this, you know," she said softly. "These gifts, your understanding... it feels like more than I deserve."
Mo Ran glanced up, his expression softening. "You’re worth more than this."
Her chest tightened at his words, but she pushed the emotion aside, focusing instead on the present. She walked over and sat beside him, her fingers toying with the hem of her sleeve.
"Mo Ran," she began hesitantly, "you’ve been so patient with . But sotis I wonder... why?"
He tilted his head, studying her with a curious expression. "Why what?"
"Why you’re so patient," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "Most people wouldn’t be."
He leaned back slightly, his gaze thoughtful.
Lixue hesitated, biting her lip as she turned toward Mo Ran. The weight of her thoughts pressed down on her, and before she could second-guess herself, the words slipped out.
"Mo Ran... do you... love ?"
He froze, caught off guard by the question. His gaze locked onto hers, his expression unreadable. For a long mont, the room felt impossibly quiet, the air heavy with tension.
"Is that why you’re being so nice to ?" she added softly, her voice trembling slightly.
Mo Ran stepped closer, his towering fra casting a shadow over her. He studied her face as if trying to decipher every thought running through her mind. Finally, he sighed, his lips curving into a faint, enigmatic smile.
"Lixue," he said gently, "why are you asking this?"
She looked away, her hands fidgeting nervously. "Because I don’t understand why you’re like this. You’re so patient, so considerate... It’s not what I expected when we got married."
"And what did you expect?" he asked, his tone calm but probing.
She hesitated, her voice dropping to a whisper. "I don’t know. Maybe indifference. Maybe control. But not... this."
Mo Ran reached out, tilting her chin up so she had no choice but to et his eyes. "Lixue, being nice to you doesn’t have to an I love you...does it?. It ans I respect you. I want to see you happy and free to chase whatever you’re after."
Her heart sank slightly at his words, though she wasn’t sure why. She should have been relieved, but instead, there was a hollow ache in her chest. "So, you don’t love ?" she asked, her voice barely audible.
Lixue nodded, she guessed that was fine too, she didn’t know why there was a part of her that wanted to hear Mo Ran say he loved her.
"Thank you for the gifts, I’ll use them well..auntie Feng must be waiting for us, we should head out for dinner.."
Lixue quickly stood up and walking to door, she didn’t glance back to wait for Mo Ran, perhaps she needed a little bit of space herself.
Alone in the room, Mo Ran reasoned his words, he guessed he shoudnt have said sothings . But they couldn’t be escaped.
Mo Ran sat alone in the room for a mont after Lixue left, his thoughts swirling. He rubbed the back of his neck, frustration simring just beneath the surface. He hadn’t ant to make her feel this way, but the gap between what he wanted to say and what he actually said seed larger than ever.
Letting out a sigh, he stood and headed to the closet. Stripping off his tie and suit jacket, he opted for a simple button-down shirt and comfortable slacks. The formal image of the Mo family’s young master gave way to soone more relaxed, more human.
When he erged from the room, the warmth of the dining room lights greeted him, along with the faint clinking of dishes. Auntie Feng’s cheerful humming echoed softly from the kitchen, but his attention was drawn imdiately to Lixue.
She was seated at the dining table, her posture poised but slightly distant. The way she moved her chopsticks across her plate spoke volus—controlled and deliberate, a clear effort to show she was unaffected.
Mo Ran walked toward her, his steps light but deliberate. He didn’t sit imdiately; instead, he lingered by her side.
"Lixue," he said quietly, his voice softer now, "are you alright?"
She glanced up, startled by his casual appearance. Her eyes quickly darted back to her plate. "I’m fine. You should sit. Auntie Feng worked hard on dinner."
He hesitated before taking the seat beside her. Auntie Feng bustled in a mont later, placing the final dishes on the table.
"Ah, Young Master, you’ve changed! Much better. Now you can enjoy dinner comfortably!" she said with a bright smile.
"Thank you, Auntie Feng," he replied warmly.
As they began to eat, Mo Ran kept his attention on Lixue. She was quieter than usual, her movents precise but lacking her usual grace. After Auntie Feng excused herself to fetch dessert, he set down his chopsticks and turned to her.
"Lixue," he began gently, his tone earnest, "about earlier..."
She froze slightly but kept her gaze on her plate. "You don’t have to explain anything, Mo Ran. It’s fine."
"It’s not fine," he countered, his voice firm but calm. "I think I said so things that might have co across wrong. And I want to clarify."
Finally, she looked up at him, her eyes guarded but curious. "Then say it, Mo Ran. What do you need to clarify?"
He took a deep breath, leaning slightly closer so his words wouldn’t carry beyond the two of them. "When you asked if I loved you, I didn’t dismiss the question because I don’t care. I’m careful because love isn’t sothing I say without aning it. And with you, Lixue, I’m trying to understand what that ans for us."
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